Island check valve



United States Patent inventor Stuart B. Smith [56] References Cited Osprey, F lorlda UNITED STATES PATENTS f i am I968 2.312.290 2/1943 Smith 137/5274 md 13 1 2,877,792 3/1959 Tybus l37/5lZ.l ff w job]; woone, 2,976,882 3/1961 Cowan 1 137/5121 e 1 3,179,164 4/1965 Heller 137/5122 Oak Park, Illinois Primary Examiner- Robert G. Nilson Attorney Parker, Carter and Markey ABSTRACT: This invention relates to an island check valve having a pair of vanes pivotally attached to a generally cen- ISLAND E K VALVE trally located island. The vanes are spring-biased to a closed 9 Claims, 3 Drawing g position and can be moved to the open position by water pressure. There is a double pivot for attaching the vanes to the U.S. Cl H l37/512.1, island, one pivot point being at the island and the other pivot /5 2- 137/513. 137/5l5-5. 137/601 point being outside of the center of pressure acting on the int C l 15/03 vane. In addition, there is a resilient connection between each Field of Se r h 1 7/ l 2- vane and the island which reduces the effect of turbulence and 512.5, 513, 601, 527, 527.4, 512.15. 515.5, water vibration on the sealing points between the vanes and 515.7; 251/303 the circuit surrounding the check valve.

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' (H O O 1% 1* O W 7 v z o L 0 I '1 O W 9/17 0 M l 0 0 w M /M o T Q 0' Ql Patented Oct. 13, 1970 Sheet j/Mr/Z i/W/i, 5 1/4 /1 Z/zr/ Patented Oct. 13, 1970 Sheet ISLAND CHECK VALVE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in the island check I valve shown in my copending application Ser. No. l3,95l, filed Dec. 15,1965 now US. Pat. No. 3,384,] l2.

A primary purpose of the invention is an improved'mount- :ing arrangement for the'movable vanes in an island check t valve of the type described.

Another purpose is an improved means for mounting island check valve vanes in which water vibration and turbulence are absorbed by the mounting means, hence reducing wear on the bearing surfaces.

Another purpose is a vane mounting arrangement for usein an island check valvewhich limits the movement between the vanesand their sealing seats to compression, thereby reducing the lateral relative motion between vane and seat sealing surfaces and hence reducing wear.

Another purpose is an island check valve of the type 1 described including an improved stop for preventing the vanes from coming together.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the. following drawings wherein:

'FIG. 1 is a'front elevation of an island check valve of the type described;

FIG. 2 is a section along plane'2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section illustrating the interconnection between vanes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT beheld in the'open-position as long as flow is from the pump side of the line. When there is a reduction in flow, a spring which normally biasesboth of the vanes toward a closed position will slowly start to close the vanes. The vanes will close with the reduction in flow such'that when the flow in the line'is finally reduced to zero, the vanes will be in a completely closed position.

The check valve includes a'pair of vanes positioned within a conduit and pivotally attached to a generally centralisland. Each of the vanes is attached to a torsion rod, with the torsion rods being geared together, for example at their upper ends. A spring is applied to one of the rods, again at the upper end of the assembly. The spring force, applied through the gearing arrangement, is effective to close bothvanes. The torsion rods are so arranged that ifthere is an obstruction preventing the complete closing of one of the vanes, this'force will be divided between the torsion rodsand will not'be applied to-only one rod-For-example, rods of the type used can generally have a twist upto 45 without damage. It is possible for one vane-to be completely closed and the other to be fully open so that the torque applied to the torsion" rods can be generally equally distributed, to prevent damage to the rods and vanes.

, The check valve may include an annular circumferential wall 140 having flanges 142 and I44. The flanges 1'42' and 144 may have bolt holes or the likel46 for use in attaching'the flanges tothe mating flanges of conduit sections. The check valve shown herein is designed to be positioned within a conduit at any place within a fluidsystem, but normally adjacent a pump. In effect, the sectionl40 forms a part of the conduit. Anisland indicated generally at 148 may extend between diammetrically opposed points on the conduit section .140.

The island may include a flat plate or the like 150 which may he attached by'welds or the like to a somewhat curved front faceplate I52, which extends toward the direction offlow.

A'pair of spaced sleeves or tubes 154 may be positioned on opposite sides of the island with the upper end of each of the sleeves I54 extending through the conduit section 140. Within .each of the sleeves 154 are torsion bars or torsion members I56, with the lower end of the torsion bars being pinned to a hinge strap 158. Each of the lower hinge straps 158 extends a substantial distance outwardly from the island 148 and are pivotally mounted to vanes 160. At the upper end of the structure there are similar hinge straps I62, whichagain extend a substantial distance outwardly from the island and are pivotally attached to the vanes 160. Only the lower hinge straps 158 are pinned to the torsion bars. The upper hinge straps162may be mounted about the torsion bars by the use of trust bearings, not shown, but illustrated in the above-mentioned copending application. Below the upper hinge straps 162 is a hingemember 164 which is attached, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to a flat plate 166 which in turn is attached to the plate 150. The hinge member 164 is a part of the overall upper hingeassembly which includes thehinge'straps 162. The lower hinge structure may'be similar with the exception that the torsionbarsare actuallypinned to the hinge straps.

Each of the torsion bars 156 may have-gears 168 attached thereto at their upper ends. The gears are within a housing 170 and mounted above thehousing 170 isa small housing 172 enclosinga spring'l74. The spring 174 is attached to the lefthand torsion bar 156. The spring force provided by the spring 174 acts on both torsion bars-through their meshed gears 168.

At the inner periphery of the conduit 140 there is an annular member 176, which may be integral with the island plate 150. The annular member 176 may have a seal positioned in the surface opposing the vane, or it may not. In some applications.metal-to-metal contact has been-found to form an excellent seal.ln such applications a stainless steel annulus, indicated-M178, may beattached to the surface of the member [76 opposing the vanes. Such 'a stainless steel annulus may be integral with plate 166, which may also'be formed of stainless steel. Each of the vanes 160, which may be semicircular in form, may havestainlesssteel'sealing members 180 and 182 positioned to be pressed against the stainless steel sealing member 178'and' 176 when-the vanes are in the-closed position of FIG. 2. The metal-to-metal contact between the stainless steel surfaces described has been found to provide an excellent sealing arrangement.

The length of the hinge straps is important. The center of pressure acting on each of the vanes is generally inside the outer pivot points, or the outer mounting of the vanes to the hinge straps. As illustrated in FIG. 2, each of the vanes may have brackets 184 which pivotally attach to the hinge straps 158 and 162. The point of attachment between the brackets l84 and'the hinge straps 158 and 162 is outside of the center of pressure acting on each of the vanes, which center of pressure is indicated by the arrow 186. t

In addition to the double pivot mounting for each of the vanes, there is a vibration isolation mount which includes a bolt or the like'l88 threaded into the vanes. The bolts 188 may have enlarged heads 190. Surrounding each of the bolts 1'88 is a rubber or elastomeric sleeve 192 which may be vulcanized toan outer metal sleeve. I94 and an inner metal sleeve 196. The outer metal sleeve 194 may be threaded into the hinge straps for adjustment. The boltl88 can freely slide within the inner sleeve 196 and in the position of FIG. 2, the inner surface of each rubber annulus 192 bears against its associated vane." In effect, turbulence or other vibration imparted to the vane by water within the conduit can be absorbed or dampened by this resilient mounting. To prevent damage to the hinge straps when the vanes are in the full open position illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 1, there is a rubber bumper 198 fastened to the right-hand hinge strap and'so positioned that it will contact the left-hand hinge strap when the vanes are in the full open position. 'Such bumpers may be placed on both the upper and the lower straps, but they only need to be on one strap in each pair.

The use, operation and function of the invention are as follows:

When water pressure is applied, for example from a pump or the like, to the the surfaces of the vanes, the vanes will be moved to the open position. The extent to which the vanes are opened depends upon the water pressure applied. When the vanes are in the full open position illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 1, the rubber bumpers 198, which are located substantially outward from the inner pivot points and which are positioned on the hinge straps on one side will prevent the vanes from coming together and will also absorb turbulence or vibration caused by water pressure. By locating the rubber bumpers or stops on both hinge straps of one vane and by positioning them well out from the inner pivot point, the actual load on the bumpers is reduced and thus the load which is transferred to the bearings is reduced.

Of particular advantage and importance is the double pivot mounting for the vanes. With such a mounting arrangement in combination with isolation mounting formed by the rubber sleeve 192, not only is tight shut-off of the vane more readily attained by reason of allowing the vane to align itself with the seat surface, but optimum seat life is attained by limiting the vane to seat motion to almost pure compression. There is no lateral component of motion. To obtain such results, the outer pivot point must be outside of the center of pressure acting on the vane and the isolation mounting should be inside the center of pressure acting on the vane. It has been determined that with such relative positioning of the mounting means, there is no horizontal component of motion applied to the sealing surfaces between the vane and the conduit. All seating motion is such to assure seating pressure is compression.

Considering each vane as having an outer edge and an inner heel, there can be sheer at either of these sealing surfaces. However, by utilizing the double pivot and the isolation mounting with the relative positions shown, the pivot point for the outer edge of the vane is the torsion bar and the pivot point for the inner heel is actually the outer periphery or the edge. Thus, with a double pivot there is no sheer, but only compression forces.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there are many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto within the scope of the following claims.

lclaim:

1. In a check valve for use in a conduit or the like, an outer shell, a generally central island within the shell, a pair of vanes on opposite sides of said island for blocking flow through the shell. each of said vanes being mounted to said island by spaced pivotal connections, with one of said pivotal connections being outside of the center of pressure acting on the vane and the other of said pivotal connections being at said generally central island. and yielding means for urging said vanes to a normally closed position to block flow through the shell.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including hinge members extending outwardly from both sides of said generally central island, said hinge members being pivotally attached to said island, with each of said vanes being pivotally attached to the outward ends of said hinge members.

3. The structure of claim 2 further characterized by and including rubber bumper means positioned on one of said hinge members for preventing said hinge members from coming completely together when the vanes are in the full open position.

4. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including rubber bumper means mounted to said check valve structure for preventing said vanes from coming completely together when in the full open position.

5. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including hinge members extending outwardly from each side of said island, said hinge members each being pivotallyI attached to said island, with said vanes being pivotal y attac ed to the outward ends of said hinge members, and a resilient connection between each of said hinge members and said vanes for absorbing vibration and turbulent forces acting upon the vanes.

6. The structure of claim 5 further characterized in that said resilient connection is between the center of pressure and said generally central island.

7. The structure of claim 5 further characterized in that said resilient connection between each of said hinge members and said vanes, includes an elastic sleeve attached to the hinge member and a movable shaft attached to the vane and passing through said elastic sleeve, with said sleeve being positioned against said vane.

8. The structure of claim 7 further characterized in that said shaft includes means for limiting movement of said shaft relative to said elastic sleeve.

9. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including a pair of spaced torsion members mounted in said island, with each of said vanes being attached to one of said torsion members, and means interconnecting said torsion members to distribute the torque applied to either member to both of said members. 

